| UNHCR

Some Palestine refugees under UNRWA's mandate in Gaza have also been internally displaced.
These internally displaced refugees are only counted once in the end-2023 total forced displacement figure.

Welcome to UNHCR’s Refugee Population Statistics Database

The database contains information about forcibly displaced populations spanning more than 70 years of statistical activities. It covers displaced populations such as refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced people, including their demographics. Stateless people are also included, most of who have never been displaced. The database also reflects the different types of solutions for displaced populations such as repatriation or resettlement.

This website is based on three data sources:

UNHCR data collected through its annual statistical activities with some data going back as far as 1951, the year UNHCR was created.
Data provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Information is limited to registered Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.
Data provided by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). Information is limited to people displaced within their country due to conflict or violence.

For methodological explanations, data limitations and coverage, visit the Methodology page.

73%

originate from just five countries

Nearly three-quarters of all refugees under UNHCR’s mandate and other people in need of international protection come from just five countries.

Afghanistan	6.4 million
Syrian Arab Republic	6.4 million
Venezuela	6.1 million
Ukraine	6.0 million
South Sudan	2.3 million

39%

hosted in five countries

Colombia, Germany, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan, and Türkiye hosted nearly 2 in 5 of the world’s refugees and other people in need of international protection.

Islamic Republic of Iran	3.8 million
Türkiye	3.3 million
Colombia	2.9 million
Germany	2.6 million
Pakistan	2.0 million

47 million

are children

At the end of 2023, of the 117.3 million forcibly displaced people, an estimated 47 million (40 per cent) are children below 18 years of age.

2 million

children were born as refugees

Between 2018 and 2023, an average of 339,000 children were born as refugees per year.

1.2 million

refugees returned or were resettled

Nearly 1.1 million refugees returned to their countries of origin during 2023 while 158,700 were resettled (with or without UNHCR’s assistance).

75%

hosted in low- and middle-income countries

Low- and middle-income countries host three-quarters of the world’s refugees and other people in need of international protection. The Least Developed Countries provided asylum to 21 per cent of the total.

4.4

million stateless people

Data on some 4.4 million stateless people residing in 95 countries was reported at end-2023. The true global figure is estimated to be significantly higher.

69%

hosted in neighbouring countries

69 per cent of refugees and other people in need of international protection lived in countries neighbouring their countries of origin.

Last update: 13 June 2024

Refugee Data Finder

An analysis tool that contains data on forcibly displaced and stateless populations, their demography and the solutions some of them found.

1.	Refugees, asylum-seekers and other people in need of international protection by country of origin
2.	Refugees, asylum-seekers and other people in need of international protection by host country
3.	Demographics of refugees
4.	Solutions for the last 10 years (2013 - 2023)
5.	New asylum applications registered during 2023